Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-10-27
A Rejoinder.
EDITOR DExocRAr:-

ing the present campaign, that in its
desperate haste to repair the gaps made
by its leaders in their political fences,
has taken the charge about the past
indebthess of our county as the most
salient point to begin its work. Its
editor admits our county is now vir-
tually out of debt, which is an ''honest
confession" and we hope ''good for the
soul' but denies the statement made
from p. 1. Benebrake, the republican
auditor of state in 1877, about the
total county corporate and municipal
debt OF Barton being at that time the
truth. Nevertheless it is true, which
many of your readers who saw it in
print at the time and the records
prove. These facts we have frequent
ly shown by elaborate statements which
we leave to those who have heard us to
verify, but the design of the Register
seems to be to fasten upon us the ac-
cusaion We sought to impress the
minds of our hearers that the entire
debt was county Indebtedness alone.
We have invariably told them it was
county corporate and municipal, or at
least wanted to, but perhaps at some
time through hasty speaking, might
have unthoughtedly done otherwise,
yet if such thing was done it was al
exception, which we think every fair
republican as well as democrat who
have heard us will testify. The county
bonded debt was s47 900, floating debt
$13, 900 and the remainder sWelled it to
the amount stated. That is the old
chestnut" yet uncracked, and when
those disclosures were first made the
republican treasurer sought to evade
the charge by statement of the bond
ed Indebtedness, being $47 900, leav-
ing the impression that it included all
of it. Those fellows being driven to
the wall with the facts have never at
tempted public denial since then un-
til now.
We have never said the democratic
county commissioners paid off this
debt or even sought to intimate such a
thing, but have said and repeat here,
that whenever republicans i'll repub-
lican county would drop all party
feelings far enough to assert their
true manhood, and rebuke their own
party for injuries done, the lesson has
proved a valuable one thereafter to
those entrusted with public business,
and checked farther extravaganza un-
til they have had breathing spell long
enough to catch up at least before
assuming any more new burdens.
This is where the credit belongs as we
have frequently said, for the reduction
instead of the increase of the county
Indebtedness.
So far as the county printing is con-
cerned, we don't wonder at the Reg
ister's soreness. When the party had
the exclusive control for ten years or
more, it got the work for the full limit
the law allowed lone dollar per square).
Once during that time we offered in
the DEMOCRAT to print it for one
fourth that amount and were told by
that board that they had the choosing
of the official organ, and the dollar per
square went OH, while the taxpayers
continued footing the bills. When the
democrats got control of the institution
this barnacle OH the public teat was
jerked off and it has been squealling
ever since. Since Mr.. Willms. appoint
ment to fill out the unexpired term of a
democrat it has unearthed a mares
nest, and pitches its voice to a more
pantic key. The Attorney General is
inclined to think only one paper
can collect pay, and the contract ex-
pires anyhow with the present year.
But shutting off by technicality con-
tract entered into repudiation, is just
the way our commissioners reduced
the printing another third-an act of
party malice and for political capital,
neither just, honest, or manly. If
otherwise why did your commissioners
ever refuse the offer of % cents pei
square and pay their pet organ out of
the tax payers money, one dollar per
square. The truth is, Chap is crazy TO
get dive at the public crib again, and
the people see through all this slenetic
gall to pull the wool over their eyes
and trick them with sham showings
of economy. They have seen enough
of the past to judge what fine jobs you
would like to put upon them in the
future, Chapi Old '-chestnutsr will
occasionally be resurrected and chick
ems come home to rOOSt. People want
to see how they look. Now as you
aspire to be the boss Annanias of the
republican party, just load up and
Il l...r, ..t..,,d .-o.....